An E. coli outbreak that sickened 18 people in nine states and took the life of a toddler in Louisiana was one of the ten largest multi-state food poisoning outbreak of 2012, based on the total number of people sickened. Despite months of investigation, a specific food source for the outbreak, which was caused by the rare strain E. coli 0145, was never identified.
In early June, Food Poisoning Bulletin discovered that multiple states had case patients whose lab tests were genetic matches of the rare E.coli stain, prompting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to announce the outbreak several days later. Patients who were interviewed by the CDC reported onset of E.coli symptoms, which include severe abdominal cramping and bloody diarrhea, from mid-April to mid-June. … [Read more...]

The CDC has declared the multistate outbreak of E. coli 0145 infections that sickened 18 people in 9 states over. One person, a Louisiana toddler, died of the infection. No source for the bacteria has been found.
The cases count is as follows: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Kentucky (1), Louisiana (5), Maryland (1), Tennessee (1), and Virginia (1). Four of the patients were hospitalized. The dates for illness onset ranged from April 15, 2012 to June 12, 2012.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention collaborated with public health officials in the nine affected states to investigate the outbreak. The age of ill persons ranged from 1 to 79 years; the median age was 33 years. Seventy-eight percent of the patients were female.
Public health officials … [Read more...]

The outbreak of E. coli 0145 in six southern states has grown by one more case. Four of the patients have been hospitalized; one person, a toddler, died in Louisiana. The one new case is in Louisiana; that person became ill on April 21, 2012.
The case count is as follows:
Alabama (2)
California (1)
Florida (1)
Georgia (5)
Louisiana (5)
Tennessee (1)
A source for the infections has not been found. The dates for illness onset range from April 15, 2012 to May 12, 2012. The patient age range is from 1 year to 79 years old. Seventy-three of the patients are female.
It has been six weeks since the last illnesses was reported, which may mean the outbreak is over. But the epi curve suggests there may be two more cases that the government may learn about, since cases that … [Read more...]

The CDC has released more information about the multistate outbreak of E coli 0145 infections that was first announced on June 8. We've been investigating this outbreak since June 5 and first reported on the cases in Georgia and Louisiana on that date. The case count for this outbreak is as follows: Alabama (2), California (1), Florida (1), Georgia (5), Louisiana (4), Tennessee (1).
Three people have been hospitalized in this outbreak of E coli 0145 infections, and a toddler in New Orleans has died. A source for the bacteria has not been identified. Dates for illness onset range from April 15 to May 12, 2012. The outbreak may be over, since the last illness was reported four weeks ago, and it takes two to three weeks for reports to be issued after illnesses are diagnosed.
Health … [Read more...]

Fourteen people in six states are sickened with E coli 0145; the same strain killed a New Orleans toddler last week. While no one source has been pinpointed, state officials are working with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to solve the case and epidemiologists suspect food may be the culprit.
The case count is as follows:
Alabama (2)
California (1)
Florida (1)
Georgia (5)
Louisiana (3 ill, 1 death)
Tennessee (1)
The CDC has released a statement about the outbreak. They say that the most recent report of illness was on June 4, 2012. The dates when patients became sick range from April 15 to May 12, 2012. Three people have been hospitalized.
Public health officials interview victims with questionnaires, asking them about exposure to different foods, … [Read more...]

Food Poisoning Bulletin has learned that the multi-state E. coli 0145 outbreak includes Alabama. There are two confirmed cases of E. coli 0145 in Alabama, bringing the total number of patients in this outbreak to 11. There is still no official word from the CDC on the outbreak.
Case count:
Alabama (2)
Florida (1)
Georgia (5)
Louisiana (2 ill, 1 death)
The Alabama Department of Public Health told us that there are some additional possible cases pending. They are waiting to see test results. The states involved are working with the CDC, which is playing a supportive role.
The illnesses began in April. The news about the outbreak broke when a toddler in New Orleans died of the infection last week. We have been contacting state health departments across the south to get the … [Read more...]

An E coli outbreak that claimed the life of a Louisiana toddler this week includes cases in multiple states including Georgia and Louisiana, state health department officials told Food Poisoning Bulletin today. A 21-month-old girl was one of three people in Louisiana to be sickened by the pathogen. She was the only fatality. In Georgia, there are five confirmed cases: two in Cobb county and one each in Cherokee, Coweta, and Forsyth counties. One person was hospitalized and released. Investigations in several states are ongoing, but health officials in Louisiana and Georgia say lab tests confirm the pathogen strain in each case is a genetic match.
A source of the deadly E coli outbreak has not yet been identified, but state health officials are working collaboratively and in conjunction … [Read more...]